FLEXIBLE CIRCUIT AND METHOD FOR FORMING THE SAME
First Claim
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1. A sensor including a flexible circuit, comprising:
- a flexible dielectric substrate having opposing first and second planar surfaces defining longitudinal, transverse and normal directions;
one or more conductive contacts adjacent the first planar surface of said flexible dielectric substrate;
one or more conductive contacts adjacent the second planar surface of said flexible dielectric substrate;
a first dielectric mask adjacent the first planar surface and substantially covering the first planar surface, said first dielectric mask having one or more mask openings corresponding to one of more of the conductive contacts adjacent the first planar surface;
a second dielectric mask adjacent said second planar surface substantially covering said second planar surface;
at least one conductive material provided within the mask openings of said first dielectric mask and in electrical communication with the one or more conductive contacts adjacent the first planar surface;
a via extending through said dielectric substrate and providing electrical communication between a contact adjacent the first planar surface and a contact adjacent the second planar surface to provide electrical communication between the conductive material within one of the mask openings and the contact adjacent the second planar surface;
wires in electrical communication with the contacts adjacent the first planar surface and the contacts adjacent the second planar surface; and
one or more membrane layers applied in physical contact with at least a portion of the conductive material, said one or more membrane layers performing a chemical transduction that is communicated to the conductive material.
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Abstract
A flexible circuit is provided herein that includes conductive material on the top and bottom planar surfaces of a dielectric substrate. The flexible circuit can be used in various applications, including use as a sensor. A via is used to provide electrical communication between the top and bottom surface of the flexible circuit. A method of preparing a flexible circuit and a medical instrument including the flexible circuit are also provided.
41 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A sensor including a flexible circuit, comprising:
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a flexible dielectric substrate having opposing first and second planar surfaces defining longitudinal, transverse and normal directions; one or more conductive contacts adjacent the first planar surface of said flexible dielectric substrate; one or more conductive contacts adjacent the second planar surface of said flexible dielectric substrate; a first dielectric mask adjacent the first planar surface and substantially covering the first planar surface, said first dielectric mask having one or more mask openings corresponding to one of more of the conductive contacts adjacent the first planar surface; a second dielectric mask adjacent said second planar surface substantially covering said second planar surface; at least one conductive material provided within the mask openings of said first dielectric mask and in electrical communication with the one or more conductive contacts adjacent the first planar surface; a via extending through said dielectric substrate and providing electrical communication between a contact adjacent the first planar surface and a contact adjacent the second planar surface to provide electrical communication between the conductive material within one of the mask openings and the contact adjacent the second planar surface; wires in electrical communication with the contacts adjacent the first planar surface and the contacts adjacent the second planar surface; and one or more membrane layers applied in physical contact with at least a portion of the conductive material, said one or more membrane layers performing a chemical transduction that is communicated to the conductive material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A sensor for measuring the concentration of a redox reactive species in a fluid of interest, comprising:
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a flexible dielectric substrate having opposing top and bottom planar surfaces defining longitudinal, transverse and normal directions; a working electrode comprising a membrane material including a redox reactive species and an underlying conductive material, said underlying conductive material in electrical communication with a conductive contact adjacent the top planar surface of said dielectric substrate; a counter electrode comprising a conductive material in electrical communication with a conductive contact adjacent the top planar surface of said dielectric substrate; a reference electrode comprising a conductive material in electrical communication with a conductive contact adjacent the top planar surface of said dielectric substrate; a bottom contact comprising a conductive material adjacent the second planar surface of said dielectric substrate; and a via extending in electrical communication with one of said working electrode, said counter electrode and said reference electrode and the bottom contact through said dielectric substrate along a normal direction to provide a conductive path between one of said working electrode, said counter electrode and said reference electrode and said bottom contact. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A method for producing a flexible circuit, comprising:
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providing a substantially planar, flexible dielectric substrate having opposing first and second planar surfaces having longitudinal, transverse and normal directions; forming at least one first conductor layer adjacent the first planar surface of the dielectric substrate, said first conductor layer comprising one or more contacts and one or more wires; forming at least one second conductor layer adjacent the second planar surface of the dielectric substrate, said second conductor layer comprising one or more contacts and one or more wires; forming a hole in the normal direction through the first conductor, the dielectric substrate and the second conductor; depositing conductive material within the hole of the dielectric substrate to provide a conductive path extending through the dielectric substrate in a normal direction, wherein the conductive path is in electrical communication with the first conductor and the second conductor; forming a first dielectric mask adjacent the first planar surface and substantially covering the first planar surface, the first dielectric mask having one or more mask openings corresponding to said at least one first conductor; forming a second dielectric mask adjacent the second planar surface substantially covering the second planar surface; depositing at least one conductive material within the mask openings of the first dielectric mask in electrical communication with the at least one conductor adjacent the first planar surface; and depositing one or more membrane layers in physical contact with at least a portion of the conductive material. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A medical instrument, comprising:
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a tubular body defining at least one lumen; and a flexible circuit positioned in said tubular body, the flexible circuit including; a flexible dielectric substrate having opposing first and second planar surfaces defining longitudinal, transverse and normal directions; one or more conductive contacts adjacent the first planar surface of said flexible dielectric substrate; one or more conductive contacts adjacent the second planar surface of said flexible dielectric substrate; a first dielectric mask adjacent the first planar surface and substantially covering the first planar surface, said first dielectric mask having one or more mask openings corresponding to one of more of the conductive contacts adjacent the first planar surface; a second dielectric mask adjacent said second planar surface substantially covering said second planar surface; at least one conductive material provided within the mask openings of said first dielectric mask and in electrical communication with the one or more conductive contacts adjacent the first planar surface; a via extending through said dielectric substrate and providing electrical communication between a contact adjacent the first planar surface and a contact adjacent the second planar surface to provide electrical communication between the conductive material within one of the mask openings and the contact adjacent the second planar surface; wires in electrical communication with the contacts adjacent the first planar surface and the contacts adjacent the second planar surface; and one or more membrane layers applied in physical contact with at least a portion of the conductive material, said one or more membrane layers forming a working electrode, a reference electrode and a counter electrode, wherein at least one of the working electrode, the reference electrode and the counter electrode is in electrical communication with said via.
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Specification